Project

Why is SUDOANG needed?

The abundance of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has been declining in the last 50 years and is outside safe biological limits, which guarantee the survival of the species. For this reason, the European eel has been included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Even though the EU established a Recovery Plan in 2007, the population has not recovered. Why?

  • The lack of data and the variability of assessment methods limit the scope and effectiveness of the population monitoring.
  • Although the European eel is a single fish stock, it is assessed and managed as separate units.
  • There is a lack of dialogue and common strategies between the stakeholders (scientists, managers, fishermen, NGOs) and at different levels (local/regional/national).

In this context, a joint assessment is needed to obtain better knowledge and cooperation between the stakeholders involved.

The SUDOANG Project Work is currently being developed under the priority axis “Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency” of the Interreg SUDOE programme.

Consult the Interreg SUDOE Programme

Main threats

Habitat loss and degradation

Barriers to migration

Pollution

Unsustainable exploitation

Illegal fishing and trafficking

Parasites and diseases

Climate change

Objectives

SUDOANG will provide managers with common tools and methods that contribute to the conservation of the European eel and its habitat in the SUDOE area.

—    Provide common management and assessment tools

User-friendly web application that hosts several tools for managers to analyse stock indicators and different management scenarios.

 

—    Design a strategy to obtain data for coordinated and long-term monitoring

An eel sampling network that includes 10 pilot basins in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, representative of the different ecosystems of the SUDOE area.

 

—    Reinforce the cooperation between the stakeholders involved in eel stock governance

A governance platform that contributes to the concerted and effective management of eel.

Pilot basins

The pilot basins studied in SUDOANG are in the SUDOE area. These include all the Spanish autonomous communities (except the Canary Islands), the regions of Southwest France (Auvergne, Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine), the mainland region of Portugal, the United Kingdom (Gibraltar) and the Principality of Andorra.

Click on each river to see the information and download the description of the basins (interactive map)

River Miño

Basin leader

Carlos Antunes (CIIMAR)

Length of the river

343 km

Area of the basin

17080 km2

Length of the estuary

37 km

Number of barriers

50 dams; in the tributaries, 230 barriers in Portugal and 90 in Spain

Tributaries

River Sil - 228 km

River Tea - 50 km

River Mouro - 30 km

River Coura - 50 km

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No Yes
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Ulla

Basin leader

Fernando Tilves Pazos (Xunta de Galicia)

Length of the river

132 km

Area of the basin

2776 km2

Length of the estuary

7 km

Tributaries

River Denza

River Arnego

River Pambre

River Furelos

River Sar

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No No
Yellow eel Yes No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Ter

Basin leader

Lluís Zamora (Universitat de Girona)

Length of the river

199,7 km

Area of the basin

3275 km2

Length of the estuary

0,5 km

Number of barriers

3 dams, 165 waterwheels and 12 gauging stations

Tributaries

River Ritort - 17 km

River Freses - 32 km

River Rupit

River Major

River Gurri

River Daró

River Terri

River Onyar - 34 km

River Llémena

River Brugent - 22 km

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No Yes
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Nivelle

Basin leader

Agnès Bardonnet (INRA)

Length of the river

39 km

Area of the basin

238 km2

Length of the estuary

8 km

Number of barriers

8 dams and 4 weirs

Tributaries

River Dorrea

River Amespetu

River Lurgorrieta

River Sorrimenta

River Lapitxuri

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No Yes
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Oria

Basin leader

María Korta (AZTI)

Length of the river

77,3 km

Area of the basin

882 km2

Length of the estuary

11,35 km

Number of barriers

4 dams, 177 weirs, 11 gauging stations and 46 others

Tributaries

River Agauntza - 13,6 km

River Araxes - 23,5 km

River Leitzaran - 34,4 km

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No Yes
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Nalón-Narcea

Basin leader

Lucía García (Principality of Asturias)

Length of the river

217,2 km (101 km Narcea)

Area of the basin

4892 km2

Length of the estuary

12 km

Number of barriers

10 dams and 7 weirs

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No Yes
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Mondego

Basin leader

José Lino Costa (MARE, FCUL)

Length of the river

258 km

Area of the basin

6645 km2

Length of the estuary

26 km (summer) / 16 km (winter)

Number of barriers

6 dams and several weirs

Tributaries

River Dão - 92 km

River Alva - 106 km

River Ceira - 100 km

River Arunca - 60 km

River Pranto - 45 km

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No No
Yellow eel No Yes
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

River Guadalquivir

Basin leader

Carlos Fernández-Delgado (Cordoba University)

Length of the river

668,3 km

Area of the basin

57527 km2

Length of the estuary

60 km (summer) / 0-20 km (winter)

Number of barriers

110 dams and several weirs

Tributaries

41 tributaries

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No No
Yellow eel No Yes
Silver eel No Yes
Download PDF

River Guadiaro

Basin leader

Carlos Fernández-Delgado (Cordoba University)

Length of the river

82 km

Area of the basin

1505 km2

Length of the estuary

4 km (summer) / 0 km (winter)

Number of barriers

No relevant barriers

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No No
Yellow eel No No
Silver eel No No
Download PDF

Bages-Sigean lagoon

Basin leader

Elsa Amilhat (UPVD)

Area of the lagoon

37 km

Area of the basin

443 km2

Average depth

1.5 m (max. 3.75 m)

Number of barriers

No relevant barriers

Non-permanent rivers

River Berre - 52 km

River Rieu – 10 km

River Rec du Veyret - 5 km

Artificial canals

Robine Canal - 30 km

Canelou Canal - 2 km

Fishery River Estuary
Glass eel No No
Yellow eel Yes Yes
Silver eel Yes No
Download PDF
Budget

1.633.400 €

75% subsidy 

(€1,225,049.64) from the Interreg Sudoe Programme (ERDF Funds)

SUDOE priority core area: 

Protecting the environment and fostering resource efficiency 

Duration: 

1 March 2018 – 28 February 2021

Related projects

AMBER

Adaptive Management of Barriers in European Rivers.

POSE

Pilot project to estimate the real and potential the silver eel escape.

MIGRANET

Observatory of the migrant fish populations of the SUDOE area.

INDICANG

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) abundance and colonization INDICators.

RECANG

Restoring eel stocks: Developing technical-scientific tools to implement management plans in European basins.

Migra Miño-Minho

Improving the protection and sustainable management of the natural border area consisting of the international sub-basin of the River Miño, including its tributaries.

FITHYDRO

Fishfriendly Innovative Technologies for Hydropower.

GFCM

General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (FAO).